After a year of intense lobbying by South Bay lawmakers, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill Saturday that adds a local representative to the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

By increasing the number of board members from 12 to 13, the measure gives local communities a permanent seat on the agency that monitors and regulates air pollution.

“We will now have direct representation on the AQMD board,” said Manhattan Beach City Councilman Jim Aldinger.

A similar measure sponsored by Assemblyman Ted Lieu died in the Senate last year after the AQMD opposed it.

But this year, when the agency sought to eliminate term limits for its board chairman, the South Bay Cities Council of Governments offered a deal: It would support ending term limits if the AQMD didn’t oppose adding the local seat on the board.

“They hired some high-priced lobbyists to defeat the bill,” Aldinger said. “We said, `Do you want to spend money to oppose us or work with us?”‘

The measure signed by the governor, SB 886, was introduced by Sen. Gloria Negrete-McLeod, D-Chino, but South Bay Cities Council of Governments Executive Director Jacki Bacharach credited Lieu’s continued efforts.

Board members, who oversee an annual budget of nearly $100 million, do not receive a salary.

Membership on the board was configured to balance the competing interests of the Los Angeles basin, the Inland Empire and coastal cities. The seat established for western cities usually went to a Los Angeles city representative because it is the largest city in the agency.

Aldinger, who last year served as president of the council of governments, said the move gives the South Bay more clout in air quality issues. Until now, local cities were lumped together with Los Angeles.

“We have a lot of air quality issues with the Port of Los Angeles and LAX, which both churn out a lot of pollution,” Aldinger said. “The city of Los Angeles has financial incentives at the airport and the port. Now we have representatives for the people.”